Melissa High School sophomore Jasper Murphy has been selected by the Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB) for the 2017 All-State Band.

Jasper, son of John and Stacy Murphy, is a member of the Melissa High School Mighty Cardinal Band and plays the clarinet under the direction of Jerry Whorton, Dallas Bayless, and Connor Pickle. He is a private student of Mr. Ken Miller. In addition to band, Jasper is involved in Debate and Computer Programming.

More than 9,000 high school band students from across Texas auditioned in twenty-two different regions for a place in their respective all-region bands. The top chairs in each region advanced to one of the five area auditions held this past weekend across the state and only 295 of these 2,222 students were selected for all-state honors.

The ATSSB All-State Bands will meet in rehearsals in San Antonio, Texas, February 8-11 and will present a concert beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 11, 2017, in the Lila Cockrell Theatre of the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in downtown San Antonio.

Joseph P. Missal, Oklahoma State University, will be the clinician-conductor of the All-State Symphonic Band. The Symphonic Band will premier a piece by Johnnie Vinson, commissioned by ATSSB. Jeff Gershman, Capitol University, will be the clinician-conductor of the All-State Concert Band. Ellen Rowe, University of Michigan, will be the clinician-conductor of the All-State Jazz Ensemble which will perform at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 11, 2017, in Convention Center Hemisfair Ballroom 1.

Please join us in congratulating Jasper on this achievement and wishing him luck in San Antonio!